The Portuguese Air Force has completed the return of the first 19 nationals evacuated from Venezuela following the catastrophic twin earthquakes that struck on June 24, bringing a measure of relief to families anxiously awaiting news amid the unfolding humanitarian disaster. The Embraer KC-390 touched down at Figo Maduro military airfield in Lisbon at 05:18 this morning, marking the initial phase of what officials describe as an open-ended commitment to support Portuguese citizens caught in the crisis.
Why This Matters
• 60 Portuguese and Portuguese-descendants confirmed dead, with 87 still missing or unreachable in the disaster zone.
• Humanitarian aid totaling €400,000 has been allocated by the Portuguese government to support relief operations and displaced families.
• A 64-member Portuguese rescue mission is operating from a base in Catia la Mar, La Guaira—the epicenter of damage to the Portuguese community.
• Voluntary donation channels are now open through recognized organizations to prevent fraud and ensure aid reaches those in need.
Community in La Guaira Bears the Brunt
The Portuguese community in La Guaira, a coastal state adjacent to Caracas, has emerged as the foreign group most severely affected by the dual magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes. Satellite imagery analyzed by NASA indicates that more than 75% of buildings in large sections of La Guaira sustained damage or complete collapse. The region is home to an estimated 220,000 Portuguese nationals and an additional 300,000 to 350,000 individuals of Portuguese descent, many of whom have lived in Venezuela for generations.
Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel described the scale of displacement as staggering. "In La Guaira especially, there are many, many Portuguese nationals among the displaced," he told SIC Notícias. "Our rescue teams on the ground, along with our ambassador in Caracas, have observed that countless families have lost absolutely everything. We're talking about middle-class families, some relatively well-off, who now have nothing."
The Centro Luso Venezuelano in Catia la Mar has been converted into the operational headquarters for Portugal's 64-member combined rescue force, which includes personnel from the National Republican Guard (GNR), National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC), Lisbon Sapadores firefighters, and the National Institute of Medical Emergency (INEM). The mission transported approximately 23 tonnes of humanitarian supplies, including medical equipment, tents, generators, and emergency food rations.
Repatriation Requests Remain Limited Despite Tragedy
Despite the severity of the disaster, demand for official repatriation flights has been surprisingly modest, according to government officials. The 19 individuals evacuated included Portuguese nationals plus two French citizens and two Italians, highlighting Portugal's role in coordinating broader European evacuation efforts.
"We do not have repatriation requests that are remotely significant," Rangel clarified, contradicting earlier figures cited by Defense Minister Nuno Melo, who had initially announced 17 Portuguese nationals aboard the flight. "The total does not even reach 20. Beyond that, commercial flights are being restored, and those who wish to leave will have the means to do so on their own."
Among those evacuated were TAP Air Portugal crew members who had been stranded in Caracas when the earthquakes hit, as well as a handful of individuals who found themselves completely alone and opted to reunite with family in Portugal. The Portuguese Armed Forces have pledged continued logistical and transport support, though no formal requests have yet been made for the repatriation of the bodies of the 60 confirmed Portuguese fatalities.
€400,000 in Government Aid, Plus Donation Channels
The Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has earmarked €400,000 for humanitarian relief projects, with €257,000 already allocated to Portuguese associations operating in Venezuela. Rangel emphasized that these organizations—many of which have provided social services to the Portuguese diaspora for decades—will be critical in the medium-term recovery phase, when international attention inevitably wanes.
"Right now, significant aid is arriving, but there will come a moment when this support naturally diminishes," Rangel warned. "For a community of this size—220,000 nationals and another 300,000 to 350,000 who identify as Portuguese—we need sustained attention."
To facilitate direct public contributions, the government is preparing to announce official bank accounts managed by vetted associations, allowing Portuguese citizens to donate with confidence. "Contributing goods at this moment is extremely difficult logistically," Rangel said. "For now, I ask that no one make donations until official accounts are published, to avoid mistakes or scams."
Several organizations have already mobilized:
• Associação Venexos is purchasing food directly from Venezuelan supermarkets online to feed displaced families and rescue workers. Donations can be made via IBAN PT50001000005227287000103.
• ALUSVEN (Luso-Venezuelan Association for Cooperation and Development) is collecting camping tents, sleeping bags, thermal blankets, canned food, and first-aid kits at Liberty Express stores in Lisbon, Porto, Aveiro, and the Algarve, as well as at Pasaporte Latino in Braga.
• HUELLATINA (Venezuelan-Portuguese Chamber of Commerce) opened a humanitarian collection center in Porto at Rua Augusto Rosa, 198.
• The Cruz Vermelha Portuguesa, UNICEF Portugal, Cáritas, and Fundação AIS are all accepting financial donations through their official websites.
Madeira Rescue Team Grounded as Venezuela Limits New Arrivals
A specialized 18-member rescue contingent from Madeira, ready to deploy within 24 hours, was ultimately prevented from traveling after Venezuelan authorities indicated they would not accept additional international rescue teams. The force, which included six regional civil protection operatives, 11 firefighters, and one emergency medical doctor, had been configured for 12 days of self-sufficient operation, complete with shelter, food, water, communications, and structural shoring equipment.
Richard Marques, president of Madeira's Regional Civil Protection Service (SRPC), confirmed the stand-down order came from the Portuguese National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority. "There is no doubt that the firefighters selected were not only physically and psychologically prepared but also possessed specialized knowledge for this type of mission," Marques told Diário de Notícias. "We are talking about well-trained firefighters with up-to-date qualifications."
Marques noted that Madeira's team remains on standby should Venezuela require pre-hospital or emergency medical assistance at a later stage. Some regional officials criticized the decision, arguing that "in the face of such tragedy, all help is always welcome."
Interior Minister Luís Neves had previously mentioned the possibility of a third Portuguese rescue flight, but cautioned that deploying well-organized, rotational teams often proves more effective than flooding the disaster zone with resources that lack coordination or working conditions.
Deportees from the U.S. Trapped in Earthquake Zone
Among the most tragic subplots of the disaster is the fate of Venezuelan migrants recently deported from the United States, who were housed in a hotel in La Guaira that collapsed during the earthquakes. An unspecified number were killed or trapped beneath rubble, with rescue operations still underway.
One deportee, who had spent over a month in U.S. immigration detention before being expelled on a Wednesday flight, survived after being struck on the head and losing consciousness as the building crumbled. He told his sister—who received an erroneous death notification from Venezuelan authorities via the Misión Vuelta a la Patria repatriation program—that he witnessed other deportees jumping from second-story windows to escape the collapsing structure.
"He was shouting numbers—'one, two, three'—along with at least eight other people who were alive under the rubble," his sister recounted to EFE news agency. "At some point, he realized he was alone, shouting 'one' and hearing no response. Eventually rescuers heard him and pulled him out."
Norbert Martínez traveled nearly four hours from Yaracuy state to Caracas searching for his sister, Mariángela, who was also on the deportation flight. He has visited morgues and hospitals since Friday with no official information. Venezuelan authorities have not released separate casualty figures for the deported migrants, bundling them into the national toll of 1,719 dead and 5,034 injured.
Official Toll Continues to Rise
The United Nations estimates more than 50,000 people remain missing across Venezuela, though the official death toll has been slower to climb as rescue operations transition into recovery and identification phases. The twin earthquakes, which struck less than one minute apart approximately 200 kilometers from Caracas, triggered more than 20 aftershocks, including a magnitude 4.6 tremor on Monday that reignited panic among survivors.
The UN Development Programme (UNDP) has estimated preliminary material losses at $6.7 billion, while the UN has deployed three field hospitals in La Guaira to provide emergency medical care and is coordinating the installation of temporary shelters for tens of thousands of displaced residents.
Portugal's coordination with Venezuelan authorities, according to Rangel, began within the first hour of the disaster. "The Secretary of State for Portuguese Communities was speaking with his counterpart within 30 minutes to an hour of the tremors, maintaining contact throughout the night," Rangel said. "Our teams reported that, upon arrival, everything was well-coordinated and they were immediately directed to operations."
He acknowledged reports from other international teams citing bureaucratic obstacles and allegations that local police prioritized controlling information over facilitating rescue work. "We have heard those complaints," Rangel said. "But sincerely, that has not been our experience."
What This Means for Residents
For Portuguese citizens with family or business ties in Venezuela, the government has established a dedicated consular hotline and is working with the Embassy in Caracas to maintain updated lists of confirmed victims, missing persons, and displaced individuals. Those with relatives in La Guaira should be prepared for continued communication difficulties, as telecommunications infrastructure remains severely damaged.
Financial contributions through officially recognized channels will be critical in the coming months, as the initial surge of international aid inevitably recedes. The Portuguese government has emphasized that medium-term support for displaced families—many of whom have lost homes, businesses, and livelihoods—will depend on sustained community engagement.
Commercial flights between Lisbon and Caracas are gradually resuming, though capacity remains limited and prices have reportedly spiked. The Armed Forces repatriation program remains available for those unable to secure commercial passage, though officials stress that demand has been minimal and most nationals prefer to remain with extended family networks in Venezuela.
